In narrow vote, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approves divesting from three companies doing business with Israel

Commissioners listen at the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which is being held in Detroit June 14-21, 2014. (Courtesy PCUSA)

By a seven-vote margin, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted Friday to divest from three companies that sell equipment to Israel, becoming the largest Christian denomination yet to do so at a national meeting.

Commissioners voted 310-to-303 in favor of divesting from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions, saying that the businesses are profiting from Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. The vote was posted on the website of the 221st General Assembly, which concludes today in Detroit.

After the vote, Moderator Heath Rada urged the media, "Please don't report that this action is anything other than an expression of love for both our Jewish and Palestinian brothers and sisters."

The vote came a day after the Assembly's historic vote to change its definition of marriage from "a man and a woman" to "two persons, traditionally a man and a woman," and voted to allow ministers to marry same-sex couples in states where it is legal. Those measures must be approved by at least half of the 172 presbyteries to become church law.

The issue of divestment, which failed by two votes at the 2012 Assembly, has "pitted friends who are committed to peace against each other," Commissioner Frank Allen of the Presbytery of Central Florida, told the group.

Today, the organization Jewish Voice for Peace issued a press-release praising the decision.

A report in the New York Times said the divestment measure that was approved also reaffirmed Israel's right to exist, endorsed a two-state solution, encouraged interfaith dialogue and Holy Land travel, and urged the church to invest in endeavors that advance peace.

U.S. Jewish organizations had lobbied heavily against divestment. One proposal involved brokering a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the condition that the divestment measure was defeated.

The Times report said the church has about $21 million invested in the three companies.